FHA Rules for Manufactured Homes

FHA loans can be used to finance manufactured homes — but not just any will qualify. The property has to meet certain standards before the loan gets approved. These rules cover things like the home’s construction date, how it’s placed, its foundation, and its condition.

Some of these requirements are basic. Others can trip you up if you don’t know them upfront. This article breaks them down clearly, so you can move forward with fewer surprises.

What the FHA Considers a Manufactured Home

Let’s start with what qualifies. For FHA purposes, a manufactured home isn’t just any mobile home or trailer.

To meet the official definition, the home must:

• Have been built on or after June 15, 1976
• Follow HUD’s Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards
• Have a visible HUD certification label on the exterior
• Include a Data Plate inside (often found in a cabinet or closet)

Anything built before that 1976 date — no matter how well maintained — isn’t eligible. That’s a hard cutoff.

Also, modular homes and tiny houses don’t qualify under these same rules unless they’re built and classified differently.

The Foundation Matters — A Lot

One of the biggest sticking points is how the home is installed. The FHA doesn’t allow manufactured homes to sit on temporary blocks or skirting alone.

The home must be:

• Permanently attached to a foundation
• Anchored securely to withstand wind or shifting
• Fully connected to utilities — water, sewer, power, etc.
• Set up with a crawl space that’s sealed and ventilated
• Properly skirted to prevent moisture or pests

Here’s the thing — if a home is being moved to a new site, it must be reinstalled to current HUD specs. That usually requires a professional installer and an engineer’s report.

Where the Home Can Be Located

The FHA doesn’t care just about the home — they care about where it sits.

These placements are allowed:

• On your own land
• On leased land (as long as the lease is for at least 3 years)
• Inside a manufactured home community that meets local zoning rules

Placement is often where people run into trouble. The land must be marked for housing, and manufactured homes have to be allowed there by local rules. No zoning = no loan.

Property Condition and Appraisal

The home also needs to be in livable condition and pass an FHA appraisal.

An FHA-approved appraiser will check for:

• Basic safety and structural soundness
• Signs of damage, leaks, or faulty systems
• Proper utility hookups
• HUD label and Data Plate (yes, again)
• General condition compared to other homes in the area

If problems show up, the lender may ask for repairs before moving forward. Sometimes those fixes are small. Other times, they stop the deal.

Borrower Rules Still Apply

Even if the home is okay, you still need to qualify. That means having enough income, a good credit score, and not too much debt.

If you’re not sure what that means for you, check out FHA Loan Requirement CA for the full list. That’ll help you get a clear picture of whether you qualify.

Lender Choice Really Matters

Here’s something people often don’t realize — not every FHA lender handles manufactured homes. Some avoid them entirely, while others only finance them under specific conditions.

Ask these questions before starting the application:

• Do you offer FHA loans for manufactured homes?
• Will you finance homes on leased land?
• Are there limits on how old the home can be?

It helps to work with FHA Lenders that are experienced in manufactured housing. They’ll already know the ins and outs — and can save you from hitting walls later.

Final Thoughts

FHA loans can absolutely be used to buy a manufactured home. But the home has to follow certain rules. It must be built after 1976, set on a permanent foundation, placed on approved land, and pass an FHA appraisal.

Getting all of this right takes a little planning — but it’s worth it. Take the time to double-check the home, the land, and the lender before you get too deep into the process. That’s the best way to keep your financing on track.